HOLIDAY TRADITION: Hospice of Health First Volunteers Deliver Thanksgiving Meals to Patients and Families

A Brevard County holiday tradition dating back to 2004

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – A Brevard County holiday tradition dating back to 2004 continued this week as Hospice of Health First volunteers gathered to box and deliver Thanksgiving holiday meals to hospice patients and their families.

Nearly three dozen Health First volunteers met at the Hospice of Health First office in West Melbourne to sort and load more than 100 Publix Thanksgiving meal boxes for delivery.

Juanita Yarber of Melbourne was one of the first recipients of the holiday meal. She said the Thanksgiving meal delivery was special but just one of the many special touches she receives from the Hospice team and Sharon Berrier, a hospice volunteer.

“You know I love you – I do. And there’s plenty of love here for everything you do for me, including this Thanksgiving dinner, which I truly appreciate,” said Yarber. “And it’s more than just this dinner. Sharon (Berrier) is always there for me when I need her, especially when I need to get my groceries. I could not live without her.”

Berrier, now in her second year volunteering for the Thanksgiving delivery event, shares a special bond with Mrs. Yarber.

“I actually started volunteering last year because my in-laws were both hospice patients, and I wanted to give back to them because they did so much for us when my husband’s parents were in hospice. I did this last year, and I really looked forward to doing it again this year,” said Berrier.

“It’s just nice to see the smiles on the patients’ faces when we bring prescriptions or turkey dinners to their homes. I shop regularly for a couple of them, and it’s just been fun to get to know them. I have a special link with Juanita! She used to work with my mom years ago, and then she was also one of my husband’s customers at Nissan.

“So, it’s been nice to get to know and shop for her every week. I do that every Friday afternoon, and I think I look forward to it more than she does, but it’s been fun. She’s just so sweet. And she tells me all her stories from years ago. And sometimes it’s, you know, stories about my mom or how my husband helped her with her car, or she wants to ask about the family, so it’s very special,” said Berrier

This week, Publix meal boxes are being delivered to 106 patients and their families, and hot Thanksgiving meals are being delivered to 13 families—for a total of more than 550 people receiving a Thanksgiving meal this year.

Feed a Family is donating 20 large Publix meal boxes this year. The Health First Foundation funds the initiative, which is carried out by approximately 30 volunteers and Health First associates.

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